19 The Alley

Walking around, Hiroto thought that he should probably look for some places to stay. Asking around, he was told that he could stay at some 'hotels' but when he heard the prices he made him immediately look for some cheap inns to stay in.

Wondering to through the neighborhood, he saw an old traditional inn with a sign hanging outside, 'Rooms open for rent'

Walking through the door, the inn gave off a cozy feeling. There was an old lady who was sweeping the floor when Hiroto walked in the old lady bowed towards him and said. "Welcome to my humble inn, would you like a room?"

Hiroto bowed back before replying. "Yes, what are the prices for a couple of nights?"

"For two night that would be 700 yen." The old lady said.

Surprised, Hiroto asked her, "Why is it so cheap?"

"We don't get too many customers around here, and the inn's main income isn't from the rooms." She said,

"Ok then, I would like to pay for a room for 2 nights," Hiroto said, passing the money over to her.

"Thank you, I hope you enjoy your stay." She said, taking the money bowing towards him before leading him towards his room.

Inside the room, Hiroto laid down on his futon and thought, 'My first assignment and they stuck me in a big city with thousands of people walking around each day. Not to mention, it's going to be hard finding Demons with so many around.'

Hiroto then began to doze off and sleep.

The next morning, after having some breakfast prepared by the old lady, Hiroto went around town to inquire more about the rumors, but all he found were the same as what the bald man had told or that it was all an urban myth.

Sighing, he decided to visit the alley where the man was killed to see if there were any clues. Walking through town late afternoon, he came across the bar that the man from the rumors seems to have left. However, the bar seemed to be closed, and from the dust gathered on the door it must have been weeks since it opened up.

Peering through the windows, Hiroto couldn't see much inside aside from the usual tables and chairs stacked on each other.

"Hey kid, what do you think you're doing there?" A man's voice came from behind him.

Turning around, Hiroto could see an old man peering out of his window. "Ah um, I heard that there were some rumors of some supernatural things happening around here so I came to take a look."

"Listen, kid, nothing supernatural is going on around here. Take this advice, don't go wandering around at night and sticking your nose where it doesn't belong." The man said, before closing his window.

"Hmm," Hiroto muttered, before walking down some alleys to see if he could find some clues.

After searching for about an hour, he couldn't find anything.

*sigh* "It might be better If I continue this during the night, the Demon would probably be hunting some people for food." Hiroto said, before leaving and walking back towards the inn he was staying at once again.

Hiroto then spent the rest of the day practicing a dance that he once saw his father doing before. Having learned from him, whenever Hiroto felt stressed or needed time to think about something, by practicing the Dance of the Fire God.

His father had told him that dancing sunset to sunrise was to ward off diseases, by offering the Fire God a dance. His father would always perform it every new year.

Dancing in his room quietly, Hiroto continued practicing till night had fallen and washed before leaving once again.

Before he left the old lady warned him, "A child like you shouldn't be wandering the streets at night."

"It's fine ma'am, I'm quite strong myself you know?" Hiroto said, before walking away to town once more.

Heading to the same area where the bar was, Hiroto started walking around town and scouting out some alleyways in case he saw anything suspicious. However, all he encountered were some drunks and homeless people either sleeping or stumbling through the alley.

'Wait, what if I pose as one of these homeless people in an alleyway. This would make me seem like a defenseless kid and easy prey to Demons.' Hiroto thought to himself.

Deciding on this strategy, he headed to a secluded alley and smeared his face with some dirt to make himself look poorer. 'This won't be enough to lure the Demons out…'

Hiroto then took out his katana, and made a small cut on his cheek, just enough so blood started flowing. 'The scent of fresh blood to be more appetizing to them.'

Hiroto then started to walk down more alleyways, while encountering a few drunks along the way.

"Hey, Ki-Hic-Kid… what are you doing here huh??" A drunk man said walking to Hiroto and putting an arm around his shoulder. The smell of alcohol invaded Hiroto's nostrils as he quickly covered his nose before saying.

"Sorry sir, I'm just wondering around. I don't have a place to stay." Hiroto had to make up a story.

"Ehhhh, you know what would happen to kids like you right? All alone in a big city, hanging around some dark alleys. They get snatched!" The drunk said slapping on Hiroto's back.

"Hahaha, especially good looking kids like you, you could be sold at a high price to so- hic - some bored old lady in need of some serious love and affection." The man teased, making kissy faces towards Hiroto.

"Thank you for the warning, but I'll be fine sir," Hiroto responded, taking the man's hand off his shoulders.

"Tsk, just trying to help you out here and you push me away. Suit yourself, blame yourself if you get - hic - kidnapped." The man said dissatisfied before walking off again.

*sigh* Hiroto sighed to himself and just when he was about to walk off, he heard a yell.

"Aghhhh!" *Crack* Turning around quickly, Hiroto heard the noise coming from the direction of the drunk man. Running down the alley, he appeared around the corner and saw a figure hunched over the lifeless body of the drunk man, with his arm ripped off.

*chew* The sounds of chewing came from the figure squatting over the body, noticing the commotion from behind he saw what he thought was a homeless kid standing still from fear.

"Haha, how lucky of me. I grew sick and tired of having to feed off of drunks, their blood tastes worst with the alcohol in their system. But you." The Demon licked its fingers with its long tongue. "Your blood smells especially sweet. Now, be a good boy and come over here."

Hiroto took out his katana and immediately disappeared from the Demons sight. Surprised at the speed, the Demon quickly raised its claws and slashed towards the side to parry the sword. Catching Hiroto by surprise.

'He saw through my attack.' Hiroto thought.

"Oi oi, what's a Demon Slayer doing in Asakusa? Are there more of you around? I need to go warn the other moons. But first, I'm going to deal with you." The Demon said, before jumping towards the wall of the alley.

Hiroto readied himself, as the Demon launched down towards him at extreme speed and swiped towards him. *clang* Hiroto parried the strike to the side and swung towards the Demon again. Just as his sword was about to cut into the Demon, he heard the Demon chant.

"Blood Demon Arts: Elastication," The Demon said, before twisting his body at an unbelievable angle and dodging the strike.

Surprised, Hiroto backed off thinking to himself, 'Is that the spell that Demons use that Urokodaki-san warned me about?'

The Demon then reached its arms out towards Hiroto, causing it to elongate and stretch at a fast speed. Hiroto dodged the strike *boom* as it crashed into the ground, kicking up dust and pieces of asphalt.

'Water breathing, second form: Water Wheel' Hiroto then performed the second form, as he jumped and spun his body forward, bringing his katana into an arc with water trailing from behind. The katana cut into one of the Demons arms, severing it.

"Haha, you think something like this would stop me?" The Demon mocked towards Hiroto, as he started to regenerate his arm. However, tried as hard as he could, the arm wouldn't regenerate. "What?! What's going on?! What did you do?!!" The Demon yelled hysterically.

Hiroto stood facing the Demon with his red bladed Nichirin katana, and without answering him, he lowered himself down and launched himself towards the Demon once more.

"Tsk, you're just a brat, take this!" The Demon yelled out as it stretched out its arms again. Before Hiroto could strike at it, the man retracted them and threw them out again. Repeating the same movement as soon as Hiroto tried to cut his arm off.

Frowning, Hiroto decided he needed to end this soon. *suuu* 'Water Breathing, Sixth form: Twisting whirlpool' Hiroto fiercely twists his upper and lower body which creates a spin that cuts anything caught in it. Before the Demon could retract his other arm, it was quickly cut off.

"Aghhh! You bastard!" The Demon yelled, preparing to run away. Not giving it a chance, Hiroto performed his fastest move, seventh form: Piercing Rain Drop. The moment he performed it, Hiroto flickered away, leaving a long line of water from his original position to that in front of the Demon. *Sprrt* Thrusting his katana into the gut of the Demon and pinning it against the wall. *Bang*

Taking his Katana out of the Demon's body, he then proceeded to cut off its legs, leaving the Demons with no limbs to get away with.

Resting his sword against its neck, Hiroto said. "Tell me everything you know about the Demon's curse if you value your head."